and other times

Letter to Jude: Month 22

Dear Jude,

Tick, tick, tick… Do you hear that ticking sound, Monkey? That’s the sound of the minutes ticking by until your second birthday. With less than two months to go, I’ve found myself being especially reflective of all that you’re doing these days. I love watching you grow up!, but at the same time, I worry that our snuggle sessions are on the decline.

This past month, you began asserting your autonomy in ways you hadn’t before. It’s no secret that you love to WALK! RUN! JUMP! CLIMB! But now, you love to do these thing en route to whatever our destination may be. In other words, Mama’s having an increasingly harder time getting you to willingly ride in the Ergo these days. Nearly every morning, you say, “Outside?” and when I reply, “Yes, in just a bit,” you then ask, “Hands?” because you want to hold my hand and walk… not ride on my back or belly. Lucky for us, it’s usually not a big deal if we turn a 15-minute walk to the library into a 40-minute one. You like to stop and feel each tree we pass. You dislike walking on the sidewalk and prefer to walk in the grass whenever possible. Sometimes I really have to work to usher you across the street because you’re so interested in what’s going on around you that you forget to walk. I love watching you learn.

Speaking of walks to the library, this past month you’ve really enjoyed reading The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, and Charlie Cook’s Favorite Book, all by Julia Donaldson. We’ve been going to the library at least once each week, and you’ve started picking out your own books. I don’t think you have much of a system, but I like checking out the books you pull off the shelves and flip through on your own.

We had a few warm days last month, and we took advantage of them as best we could. One Tuesday afternoon, we made the trek down to our old stomping grounds and spent a few hours at Oz Park with your girlfriend and her mom. You two had a great time digging in the empty flower beds and getting dirty. We’ve taken a lot of walks around our neighborhood. On any given day we might hit the library, the fruit market, the grocery store, one of our local cafes, or of course, the playground! You like riding in the carts at the grocery store and sharing a bagel with me at the cafe. You don’t slow down, at all, when you’re at the playground. At the end of the day, you’re tired, but honestly, I’m tired-er! Keeping up with you is tough.

On the days we’re stuck inside, you like to color at your new table and play with your new wooden kitchen. You cook pretend meals for us (and the cats, and your stuffed animals), and throw everything in the (play) sink when you’re done. You’ve also taken to RUNNING laps around the house. You’re really fun to watch.

Again, this past month I listened and watched as your vocabulary grew. You’ve started requesting “a-pasta” at regular intervals and ask for your “cheese” in a “cup” on a daily basis. On our walks you point out every “car(s),” “bus,” and “choo-choo” we see. You (occasionally) tell us when you need to use the potty, and you tell me when you want to “wash”–that is, take a bath.

So now, Jude, we’ve got two countdowns to concern ourselves with: the countdown to nice weather and the countdown to your second birthday. I’m anxious for the first event to occur but am hoping the second takes it’s time. I love you, Love Bug, and I’m looking forward to our next month together!

Love,
mama

29. March 2009 by Jillian Frank
Categories: Dear Jude, Featured | Tags: Charlie Cook's Favorite Books, Ergo Baby Carrier, Julia Donaldson, Lipper International Children's Wooden Table and Chair, Room on the Broom, The Gruffalo | 3 comments